Not A Simple Thief
by yukikaza
Summary: Kagome is trapped in middle of a war,and she decided to performs her duty to protect the land she loves. To ensure victory, she becomes a thief to get her hands on the information on her enemies.SessKag. sort of a IYYYH Xover.
1. calm before storm

Disclaim: I'm only going to say this once. I don't own Inuyasha!

_Tension mounted as the time progress on. _

_The seed of despair prospered within the depth of every soul. _

_Demons and humans alike dreaded the grim future;_

_for no one is certain what tomorrow might bring._

All this tension, despair, dread and uncertainty stared when the old, peaceful lord of the south was overthrown, and the new, ambitious lord came in to power. Being the ambitious demon he is, the new lord was not satisfied with only the southern land under his control. With the support of his sister, the lady of the East, he seeks to conquer all of Japan. The other lord, of course, was outraged by this. Many had already formed alliances with the western lord, Sesshomaru who was perhaps the only demon with enough power to stop the advances of the southern and eastern army.

_Chapter One_

"My lord, I bring you grievous news" the messenger whispered, so that only his lord may hear.

Sesshomaru brought his attention to the man standing before him. His eyes narrowed in irritation. "Now is not the time, leave." Without a second glace, he turned back to the meeting with the other lords.

"Thousand apologies my lord, but I am afraid that the news is urgent." Oh, how the demon wish to leave the room this instant, for no one in their right mind would want to feel the wrath of their lord.

"Speak."

Taking a moment to put the thoughts into word, the demon informed Sesshomaru, "this morning, before dawn, the Suwo province was invaded. Lord Mori's army was ambushed and there has not been word since."

The room was silent. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the best line of defense in the west is now gone. The silence didn't last, a moment later, several discussion broke out. One in particular interested Sesshomaru.

"With the East and the South join forces, the future doesn't look too bright."

"At least we stand a chance before, but now with Mori gone..."

"What of the North? Surely they will to do something. They can't just sit there and watch us fight to our death."

"What did you expect? The north had isolated themselves on Hokkaido ever since the old Hagurashi died. With their new lord still young, there is no way they will enter a war."

"I say that they are nothing but cowards."

"Enough." Sesshomaru didn't have to rise his voice, for despite the presence of the Elders, he was the most powerful of them all. There is none that could question his control, and many even feared him. "There is no room for panic or fear," he continued. "Our fate lies in our own hands. It is no use seeking others for help. From now on we have to be on our best of defenses. If any one of you has noticed anything that might indicate the next attack, send words to me and your neighboring provinces immediately. Lord Yukjda and Lord Amako send your troops to defend Choshu, Iwami and Bingo. We cannot afford to lose more ground to the South."

"Hai." The other lords replied in union.

Just as Sesshomaru was about to end the meeting, Jaken busted in, going as fast as his short legs could carry him to the feet of his lord.

"My lord, my lord," he panted. "I bring you message from the North."

Murmurs started once again as Sesshomaru read over the letter. "This letter was signed over 6 days ago. Tell me why that is."

"The messenger was delayed due to the weather, my lord." Jaken trembled as he informed Sesshomaru.

Accepting the answer, Sesshomaru addressed the other lords under his rule. "It seems that I will be receiving a visitor from the North shortly, so this meeting will end right here. You are all dismissed." Without a second glance, Sesshomaru exited the room with Jaken behind his heels.

The rumors spread faster than wild fire. Everyone, from lowly servants to daimyo lords, had heard the mysterious visitor that's coming. All who have a mind would have a question, "Who is Lord Sesshomaru expecting from the northern kingdom?"

Its' common knowledge that the Lord of the North was still young and only ruled with the help of his mother. So the possibility of them coming is close to zero. The Lord's older sister, the hime of the North was said to be of age, but she rarely comes into the world of politics. In fact, she has yet to be mated, despite how many suitors she have.

The first meeting between two possible allies during a war was perhaps the most important meeting through the course of the alliance. If this meeting was to go successfully then the North will join forced with the West, which is for the best for both side. If it is to fail, however... Well, let's just say that the survival of the two kingdoms would be put on the edge of a cleft.

A/N: well this chapter is pretty short, but it's something. Write a review and tell me what you think.


	2. the first impression

Disclaim: I don't own Inuyasha or the characters from Yu Yu Hakusho. Also, some of the names of the daimyos I used are the names of daimyos in real history, but names are all that I took. Their actions and personalities are fictional.

_Chapter Two_

Just as the parchment had said, the visitor from the north arrived right on time. In the early hours of an April morning, an elaborate chariot appeared out of the sky, descending in front of Sesshoumaru's castle.

Servants busied themselves with preparations. The once quite hallways filled with life. The demons in Sesshoumaru's court which now included daimyos that had given their loyalty to the West, gathered in the front halls. All were anxious to see the mysterious visitor whose identity Sesshoumaru had yet to revile.

Out of the chariot came a slender demoness in a simple, blue kimono. Her hair, as dark as the night, reached her lower back. Her eyes, as blue as the ocean depth searched everyone around her. Two other demonesses stood at her side, dressed as her handmaidens.

The identity of this visitor was now as clear as day. She was the princess of the North who refused to attend any and all activity in the political world. The color of her kimono is only one of the many dead giveaways. Being the land of ice, the North was represented by the color of light blue, and had the white snowflake as their symbol.

It wasn't long before the western lord himself appeared to greet the foreign princess. See the demoness for the first time. Sesshoumaru took in her appearance and the aura she gave off with precision. At the same time, the demoness examined the physical features of the lord she will be staying with until the alliance was successfully put into order.

Giving a light nod as he should to recognize a lady of his own statue, Sesshoumaru began to speak. "Lady Kagome, I presume."

"Hai, and you are Lord Sesshoumaru?" Though short by one foot, the demoness, now known as Kagome, was not intimidated by Sesshoumaru's cold attitude. It was as if she was somehow prepared.

"Hn. Come, we will discuss the situation inside." Sesshoumaru turned around and began to walk, not even waiting for a reply. So far, he had been nothing but rude. Many present had begun to question his approach.

Anger started to build inside Kagome, but she resisted the urge to punch the arrogant lord in the face, and kept her demeanor.

In front of her, the said lord was talking to one of his older advisers. What they spoke of, she couldn't hear, but she was sure it was about her. Her two hand maidens, Keiko and Shizuru left a while ago with a servant of the castle to put her belongings in her would be chamber.

"Lady Kagome, I assume you know well of the situation at hand."

"Of course, it is the reason I'm here after all." Kagome answered carefully, not wanting to reveal too much. The truth is she held a lot more information than perhaps even Sesshoumaru. For her, being on an isolated island did nothing to shorten her knowledge of the outside world. As for her resources... well, let's just say that she doesn't plan to tell that any time soon. She did not want Sesshoumaru and his court to look down on her, but she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself either. She can't risk damaging Sesshoumaru's pride. Demons like him hold their pride higher than their life.

"So tell me, what is your intentions in forming this alliance? What do you plan to gain in doing this?" Sesshoumaru questioned in an emotionless tone.

"As you know, the East and the South have set out to conquer the rest of Japan. Even though the North is separated from the mainland, we still can't let them disturb the peace of our homeland. Our intentions are pure, that much I can assure you. Our only wish is to protect those we love."

"It's a touching speech you gave, Higurashi. I will consider your offer."

Kagome's lips tilted, forming a smirk. "Lord Sesshoumaru,"she said, purposely stressing the word, "Lord" in a mocking voice. "I couldn't help but notice that the defenses on the boarders of your land are weakening. Looking at the circumstances at hand, you have few choices. The best is to accept our aid. With me, I brought 100 of the finest demon swords ever made. I will give them to you without second thought, should you chose to become our allies." Kagome knew she was stepping on dangerous territories when she saw the glint in Sesshoumaru's eyes. _Serve him right for treating me with disrespect._

"Let's see if these swords are as fine as you say they are." Sesshoumaru said, as he stared into her eyes. "Jaken, bring in the items in the chariot."

"Ye...yes, my lord." Quickly Jaken hurried out of the room.

The room was filled with tension. No one dared to make a sound as Sesshoumaru and Kagome silently challenged each other with their eyes. Their auras extended, testing one another. Secretly, Sesshoumaru was very impressed with the demoness in front of him. At first, he just dismissed her as another demoness born into a royal family who was without power of their own. Later on, however, he discovered it to be otherwise. While the princess's appearance was by no means dashing, she was pleasing to the eyes. Her courage and intelligence could not be overlooked. She was one of the few women that had ever stood up to him and had the wit to best him in a battle of the words. She could be a deadly enemy or a worthy ally. Sesshoumaru had a lot of enemies to deal with as it is, he does not plan to make more. _So an ally she will be._

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his thoughts when Jaken once again entered the room. People often ask him why he allowed a creature with so little mental capacity to work for him. He never gave an answer. Inside he knew that the imp was so stupid and cowardly, he couldn't betray his lord even if he wants to. The said imp gave a deep bow as he led a row of servants into the room. Quietly, the servants put down the wooden boxes they were holding and left.

Opening one of the boxes, Sesshoumaru picked up a sword inside. With precise movement, he unsheathed the sword. After examining it with critical eyes, he swiftly sheathed the sword and passed it to his adviser who stood beside him. The old demon did the same thing before he said, "my lord, it's indeed a great treasure."

"That's no ordinary sword you are holding. All 100 of them are made in the ice forge in the northern mountains. It takes great skill to forge swords like these. You can rarely see them in the mainland. To have 100 of them together like this is unheard of before." Kagome explained. Many of the lesser lords present nearly dropped their jaws as they looked at the swords.

"You have my alliance. You could expect help from the West should your land be in trouble." Sesshoumaru said, concluding the meeting.

"I will be looking forward to work with you, Lord Sesshoumaru. For now, I will represent the North, and make any decisions necessary. I will stand for my brother, the Lord of the North." Kagome stood up as she prepared to leave. "It was nice meeting you," she said without really meaning it. "Have a good day."

A/N: Well, that's the second chapter. I'd like to thank my beta-reader, MelissaJane for helping with these. She really is an excellent beta-reader.


	3. special delivery and old acquaintance

"Kagome, you're here." Keiko said as she put the last of her mistress' belongings into place. "So how did it go? Is Sesshoumaru really the emotionless demon who he is said to be?" The demoness was more to Kagome than just a handmaiden, she was a friend. She grew up with the princess, and was one of the few whom Kagome had trusted with her secret. Countless times she had placed her life in her friend's hand. When she heard that Kagome was going to the West, she decided to accompany her mistress and friend without a second thought even when she knew how dangerous the West is compare to the safety of the northern palace.

"The meeting could have gone better," answered Kagome as she got out of her multi-layered kimono. "The Western Lord was cold to the core, that's for sure. He didn't even bat an eye when he saw the swords we brought." She paused for a moment as if pondering before she continued to speak. "Although, I seriously doubt that he's emotionless. In fact, I am sure he is far from it."

"Sounds like an interesting character." Keiko couldn't help but hide the smile with her hand. Things were never boring with her friend around. Her smile grew wider when she heard the snicker from the other side of the room. "So what are you planning now?"

Kagome turned her full attention to Keiko when she found a more comfortable attire to wear. "What makes you think that I am planning anything?"

Keiko laughed this time. "Oh Kagome, you know that I know you better than that. You would never just come all the way here just to sit and wait."

"Indeed." Carefully she searched the surroundings using her keen senses to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "I need to know about the current situations more before taking any actions. One thing is for sure, we can't allow the south to expand their territories any longer. There's no way for me to know how long the West can hold on. I need to know the real strength of the West, which is why I am going to pull a job tonight."

"You are going to do it on the first night?" Keiko was thoroughly surprised. The princess was known for her patience. For her to do this on their first night here, the situation must be worse than she thought. "Would it not raise suspicions?"

"It's quite the opposite, Keiko. No one would ever think that I am the one behind the mask of the famous phantom thief when they know I have only been here for one day. They would think it is something only fools would do. I am going to use this train of thought which they will have as a diversion."

"So what's the target? Do you need me to send a notice?"Keiko grew curious as she watched Kagome pacing back and forth. Keiko was one of the few who knew the secret behind the identity of the thief, Usagi. When the Lord of the North, Kagome's father had died, the princess had decided to take on the burden of secretly helping her brother to rule over their land. It did not matter that she was a girl. The only thing that mattered was that she was the oldest child. Souta was far too young, even with the guidance of their mother, there was no way for him to properly command all those who served under their father before. Using the name of her grandfather, she was able to secure her brother's throne and gain a few supporters. Most that worked for her thought they were working for her grandfather. Kagome had taken the name of Usagi during that period of time to gather information. Because there are few she could trust, she had become a spy in the form of a thief herself.

"Um . . . " Kagome hesitate for a moment. "I heard there is an interesting pendent that's conveniently located in Sesshoumaru's study. I am sure he won't mind if I borrow it when I'm there reading all those scrolls he had on his desk," her eyes flashed as she mentally went over her plans. "Yes, I will write the notice now." Gracefully, she walked to the table which was set in the corner of her room. Picking up one of the brushes, she dipped it in ink that Keiko just prepared and began to write the notice that will be sent to Sesshoumaru .(A/N: I assumed that the ways of writing in Japan are the same as it is in China during that time period, since the Japanese writings then are mostly Chinese characters. The ink they use came in blocks. The servants usually dissolve the ink into a stone plate of some sort by adding water.) The notice itself is a challenge to the person who she will be stealing from. If she is going to steal, she might as well make it fun.

After the ink had dried, she carefully folded the delicate paper and sealed it with her special seal which took the shape of the full moon. "Deliver this after sundown, not an instant before," Kagome said as she handed it to Keiko.

"You need not worry," replied Keiko as she put the parchment inside the folds of her sleeves.

"I'm going to explore the castle ground myself right now. If you have time, I would like you to get familiar with the east wing. I can't go there myself, because it's the living quarters of the common soldier. My presence there would not be appropriate."

"Just leave it to me." With that Keiko retreated from the room quietly.

Wondering through the corridors, she made herself to be as unnoticeable as possible. She widened her eyes and opened her ears as she took in everything around her. So quiet were her footsteps that only demons with sensitive hearing would hear her moving about. She kept her chin up and walked as if she grew up there. It is so that she would not appear to be sneaking around.

Finally she made her way to the east wing. Solders moved about, minding their own business. Never in her life had Keiko seen so many demons in one place that's wearing the same uniform. It was really a sight to behold. So amazed she was, she missed the fact that two of the soldiers were coming right at her, neither was aware of her presence. Within seconds, Keiko bumped into a wall of flesh.

"Urameshi, you should watch where you are going," said a voice beside her. Keiko's heart skipped a beat as she heard this. The little bells in her mind ringed none stop.

"You are the one that distracted me." The one that was called "Urameshi" countered. Keiko slowly turned her gaze toward him almost afraid of whom she might see. Standing in front of her was a young man little older than herself. He was wearing the uniform for the western soldiers just like everyone else in this place. The only difference was that his clothing was made of finer materials.

"Urameshi? Yusuke Urameshi?" Keiko could barely speak. Her body was frozen with anticipation.

"Who are you? And how did you know my name?" asked a thoroughly confused Yusuke.

Without another word, tears drifted down Keiko's cheeks. Unable to help herself she threw her arms around the man in front of her.

"Oh Yusuke. It's me, Keiko."

"Keiko?"he questioned, he then shook his head in denial. "No, you can't be her."

"You know her?" Turning her head, Keiko was faced with an orange haired demon.

"I knew a Keiko before, but she was killed in a fire along with all of her family members. So this Keiko can't be the Keiko I knew. Plus the Keiko I knew was much more pretty." Sadness and regret could be found in his voice.

Suddenly, a slap found its way to the side of his face. Surprised, Yusuke was knocked over. "I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult, but you better apologize." The shy and quite girl was suddenly transformed into this fiery demoness who demanded attention.

"Never mind, she's definitely the Keiko I knew." Yusuke could have sworn that he saw stars at that moment. Even though he could barely stay conscious, he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Finally, after all these years, fate had returned Keiko to his side. How, he wasn't sure yet, but nothing could make him happier at that moment.


	4. magical pendant and straw mat

Chapter Four 

"Yusuke, I would love to stay and chat, but it is almost sunset and milady would wonder about where I am." Keiko gave a light smile that showed how she really wants to stay with her old friend.

Yusuke nodded in understanding and smiled sheepishly. "Don't worry about it Keiko. You can come by tomorrow, but if you miss me too much, you can drop by tonight."

"Yusuke, you sick pervert!" blushing fervently, Keiko gave Yusuke a good knock in the head and left him on the floor.

She hurried into the west wing where Sesshoumaru's private chamber is located. Time is running out. Just as the last ray of the sun disappeared over the horizon, she arrived at her destination. First she made sure that there's no one inside. Then she slid the note Kagome wrote in between the shoji screen. With the job easily completed, she made her escape.

Kagome took off her formal kimono and put on a black custom with little difficulty. Then she tied her hair back. At last, she put on a white clay with slits shaped out for her eyes. She had these made when she first stared doing this. The mask would hide her identity, and the custom would allow her to move freely unlike the restrictions that came with all of her kimonos.

Silently the screen slid open and Shizuru came in. "It's done, I hide the bottle in the front entrance. Now do you mind telling me why you are stealing information instead of just asking for it? You are their ally now, surely they will tell you all you need to know." From the frown on her face, it's easy to tell that she's not happy with any of this. "I don't want you to put yourself in unnecessary danger, Kagome."

"Don't worry Shizuru, I will be careful. You know I need people to think that I'm just a common thief. With me stealing from both sides, no one would suspect that I'm actually collecting information for one side. By controlling the knowledge that they did not think we possess, the element of surprise will be on our side. Plus, to ensure victory, we need to know not only the strength of our enemy, but our own strength as well. I know Sesshoumaru won't tell me everything. We entered this alliance too suddenly, he still don't trust us." Kagome appeared to be confident and reassuring when she said this, but inside she was a nervous wreck. She knew for a fact that if she gets caught, the whole alliance would go down the drain.

Just as she was beginning to have second thoughts, Keiko came in. "It's all set."

"Good." Kagome gave her a small potion bottle. "Drink this, the effect should last all night."

Keiko did as she was told, and after a few seconds, her body began to change. When the change was complete, she looked like a splitting image of Kagome.

"That should wear off any suspicions. Now act natural. I will be back as soon as possible." With that said, Kagome left through the window.

Sneaking into Sesshoumaru's study had been a piece of cake. Getting the information she was looking for wasn't that hard either. After all, all the scrolls had been lying on the table. Finding the pendent she was supposed to steal, however, was another matter altogether.

According to legend, the pendent belonged to a moon goddess. The gem embedded on it was made of was a silver moonstone. Supposedly, it contains magical properties.

Kagome looked through every cranny of the room, but still she could find no trace of it. Just as she was about to leave, her feet hit a shallow part of the floor. Carefully, she removed the straw mat. There, right in front of her, laid the object of her search. Next to it was a beautiful comb in the shape of the crescent. Underneath both items was an elegant kimono. The moonlight shined on these treasures, and made them glow. For a moment, Kagome was in awe. Never had she seen anything so enticing.

"They belonged to my mother."

Kagome was scared out of her mind when she heard the cool voice. It was not fear she felt, but a great surprise. Never had she been caught before. Quickly, she checked her mask and the spell that hide her scent and aura. When she was sure everything was in place, she stood up from her position on the ground.

"I see that you have taken the notice I sent previously, although you are a bit late."

Sesshoumaru came out of the shadows; his claws glowed green. "I had other matters to attend to." Without waiting for another second, he slashed with his poisonous claws.

Kagome easily evaded the first attack, and just as she was about to back up to evade the second, her feet tripped over the straw mat she removed but a minute ago. An instant later she felt a soaring pain in her abdomen.

The demon lord pulled his hand out and pinned the thief who had invaded his home to the wall. His blood stained hand tightly griped the neck of his enemy. Just as he was about to let his poison seep through his skin and kill his weakened opponent, the sound of an explosion was heard throughout the castle.

Taking advantage of the well-timed distraction, Kagome kicked him in the chest and escaped through the window.

Sesshoumaru followed her to the window, but as he was about to jump through the window, he stopped. The glittering pendent had caught his eye. It had remained unmoved in its formal hiding place. He walked away from the window and placed the straw mat in its rightful place.

"Stupid lord, stupid mat, stupid poison." Kagome murmured as she cleaned her wounds by the stream in the woods near the castle. No doubt the guard would search for the cause of the explosion first before coming to look for her. So she was safe here for now.

"I can't believe I failed to get the pendent." Kagome said to herself with a heavy sigh. "At least I got a glimpse of their true strength and future battle plans." She ripped out a little piece of fabric from her clothing and used it to bandage her wounds. With great efforts, she settled down beneath a tree, waiting for her strength to come back a bit.

Thinking back, the extra precaution she took really saved her live. Before going on the mission, she asked Shizuru to put a little potion bottle near the front entrance of the castle. Inside the bottle contained two potions separated by a thin layer of ice. When the ice melted, the two reactive liquids mixed and created an explosion. It was timed to explode when she need to make an escape. Everything went as planed, and Kagome would have escaped unscathed if not for the misplaced mat. _Stupid mat._


	5. past, present, future

Chapter Five 

"Careful. That stings." Kagome winced as Keiko changed the bandages for her wounds.

"You should really rest for a while after this. Sesshoumaru's poison is similar to acid. It did a lot of internal damage. It's amazing that you didn't faint right then."

She gave a weak laugh and said, "A good thing too, otherwise it would be all over." Just as she finished tying her kimono together, a nock was heard.

Shizuru who had been silently drinking her tea all this time stood up and slid open the screen. It was the sight of a black haired demon that greeted her. Judging by the uniform he adorned, he was probably a colonel in the Western army. At first she thought the guy got the wrong room but then he started asking to see Keiko. That was when Keiko came see who it was. As soon as she saw the newcomer, she excused herself and the two left together.

Going calmly back to her previous position, Shizuru slipped at her tea. "I didn't know the girl had it in her. Not even two full days and already she has them coming to her."

Kagome giggled a bit. No long did she have the demeanor of a princess on a mission. She talked and joked as any other teenage girl would have. All the tension from when she first came back wounded was melted away.

When Keiko came back a few minutes later, she was teased mercilessly. "Stop it you two, it's not what you think."

"Oh? The blush on your face says otherwise." Shizuru taunted.

With no little desperation, Keiko tried to explain, "He's a friend from my village before it was destroyed." All playfulness faded away as sadness slipped into her voice. "His name is Yusuke. I have known him since as early as I could remember. He had always looked out for me.

"Because his mother give birth too him before she was married, he was discriminated. Most people would stay as far away from him as possible. Others would go to the extent of beating him senselessly. Because few people would employ his mother, he was often starved. I remember seeing him going hunting in the woods, but he would always come back empty handed. My own family was not that well of, but sometimes father would invite him and his mother to dine with us. That's how I got to know him." Keiko had a sad smile on her face. Neither of her friends wanted to force her to remember all the sad memories, but she continued on.

"Before meeting him here, I thought he had died during the fire when the village was burned to the ground. Apparently he went to get water at the stream at the time. He thought I was died along with everyone else. I would have, if the Lady didn't save me and gave me a place to stay at the castle."

Seeing her friend's mood turning for the worse, Kagome attempted to turn the topic away from the past. "Shizuru, you said this Yusuke is probably a colonel in Sesshoumaru's army." Shizuru nodded.

"Considering his background, for him to rise to that position when he's so young, he must be something." Kagome had a calculating glint in her eyes. At that instant, both Keiko and Shizuru knew that Kagome is going back into the role of the Northern princess again.

Keiko was worried. _She just came back wounded; surely she's not planning to take actions again so soon. Plus, I don't want to get Yusuke involved. _ "What are you saying?"

Her question was left unanswered. Instead Kagome said, "I know you are deeply attached to him and that you trust him as your childhood friend, but I want you to find out if he is trustworthy now. After all, a person could changed drastically over the years."

"Why do you want to know if he is trustworthy?"

"There hadn't been a war in a long time. Most of the generals in the army are fools who got to where they are only by relations which is useless in battle. Others might have the skills, but are too old to lead. If he's trustworthy and has real talent, then he is wasted in his current position. I could give him a one way ticket up to the top."

Keiko nodded in understanding. "I will do my best to help."

Kagome reached her destination with measured strides. She stood in front of the war room. Just as she was about to slide the shoji open and enter, two stone-faced guards in front of the screen crossed their spears. "What is the meaning of this?" She demanded. "There's a meeting in there that I have to attend."

"Sorry, girl. But woman aren't allowed in the war room." The guard looked down over his nose at the Northern princess.

"You are talking to the representative of the Northern Lands. Move aside." Her fist clenched as she swallowed her anger. Kagome dismissed the guards and reached the screen once again. Just like before, her path was blocked. Her eyes narrowed as she turned to the guard, her mind made up. She was going to teach him a lesson.

Judging by their uniform, both guards were of average rank. _Yet here they are showing such disrespect. If I don't do something, I will never be respected by anyone here. _"I see, so this is how the guard in the West are trained to treat their guests." Kagome relaxed her stance and let her energy seep through her skin. The wind circled around her. Both guard shifted nervously.

Just then an unexpected voice caught the trio's attention. "Please excuse their insolence. They know no better." The old demon who was recognized as Sesshoumaru's first adviser approached them. He gave an apologetic smile and slid the shoji open for Kagome to enter. When she did, he turned around to the two nervous looking guards. "You two are lucky. If it were Lord Sesshoumaru who caught you in your foolish actions…"

"But we were just following the rules. She's a girl, we couldn't let her in there."

The old demon sighed. "The circumstance is different. She's different. Next time, show some respect. It wouldn't do any if us any good if she decided to call off the alliance before it's even started." _I certainly hope all the other lords and generals saw her importance. _He sighed again before going into the war room.

The war room was simple. Around the sides of the room hung different maps. A few dozen of low tables were put into an "n" shape. There were no windows; the only light source was the numerous candles found around the chamber. Four guards were stationed at the four corners. Servants were found serving tea to each person of importance.

Just as Kagome found her appropriate place within the room, Sesshoumaru came in and the room fell into silence. He then sat down behind the low table at the very end, where he began to speak. "I had just received a report of the situation in the south from Lord Amako. It would seem in the last two days we have lost most of Choshu. A majority of the troops we sent there is now gone."

The room stayed quiet before one of the generals spoke up. "Milord, please allow me to analyze the situation for a bit." He saw Sesshoumaru's sign of approval and continued. "The Western land is a long stretch of land along the west side of the Honshu Island. Despite the huge area it covered, the land was spread out. This gives us a huge boarder and our forces are forced to spread apart to protect it. Though our soldiers have great skills, the enemy has greater numbers. Their so-called troops were simply a mass of low class demons, but their sheer number would always overwhelm us. After awhile, our exhausted troops won't stand a chance. Now if we could concentrate our forces on one point in the front, we could switch from defense to offence."

"What do you suggest we do with the boards that would be left undefended?" One of the lesser lords interrupted.

The general had a nonchalant look on his face as he replied, "we are losing those lands neither way, and it's better to strike back once than not at all."

"So you are saying that we should just abandon the lands that has been in our families for generations?" One outraged demon stood up as he slammed his hand on the table. Other raged voices followed.

"Quiet." Sesshoumaru's cold voice suddenly cut through the room. The angry demon sat down back into his set. All the others shut their mouth. "You came here seeking my help. You pledge to me. At that moment, you and your land are mine to do as I see fit. There will be no disruption like this in my council in the future. Now, continue General."

"Well, I would recommend concentrating our forces to the north. That way, we could have a close contact with our allies in the Northern Land. Also, we would only have to deal with the East then."

"No, it wouldn't do. Important cities in the south would be lost. Cities like Kyoto are both political and economical centers. The loss could be vital." Kagome who had been silent all this time finally spoke up. All eyes turned to the petite girl. Some were filled with wonder, but most are skeptical.

"You have a better idea then?" the general challenged.

_Can't a girl get some respect around here? First the guards, now the general? _Kagome was quickly getting annoyed, but she kept her cool. "As a matter of fact, I do."

"Let's hear it then." Sesshoumaru was impatient to hear what she had to say.

Kagome turned to address the Western Lord. "As the General said before, the strength of the East and the South lies in the number of their troops. If we get new recruits and expand our army, the problem would be solved."

The General laughed out loudly. With an arrogant smirk, he said, "ha, and here I thought you actually have a plan. Girl, every able-bodied demon in the western land has already been drafted, where do you suggest we get the new recruits. We can't draft low class demons; they are capable of nothing except for running away when they see the enemy is greater in number."

Kagome couldn't help but notice Sesshoumaru's intense gaze on her. It was as if he thought that if he stared hard enough he would be able to read her mind. Despite how unnerving it is, she remained calm. "It is exactly as you said. Every _demon_ is already fighting in the war, but did it escape you that there are plenty of humans who can fight? It is also their land that are being taken, their homes that are being destroyed. Train them, and give them a chance to defend themselves."

Just then, the room was silent. If a pin was to drop, it would sound like thunder.

"You are out of your mind." One of the lords finally broke the silence.

Surprisingly, Sesshoumaru seem to think otherwise. "It might work. The huge human population can finally be put to use this way. Lady Kagome, please stay after the meeting and we will work out the details." At her nod, Sesshoumaru turned to address the officer that's in charge of the new recruits. "You too stay after."

There were a many quite protests against the northern Princess's plan, but Sesshoumaru ignored them and ended the meeting.

A/N: wow, I think that's my longest chapter so far. I can finally go into the real plot now. Stay tuned everyone. This is just the beginning. For all those Kurama and Hiei fans out there, don't worry. They will be coming soon.

Attention all readers, please read and review, so I know people are actually reading this. I know I rarely respond to the reviews, but I do read them. I just don't want the responses to be as long as the chapters.


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